


Music of my Heart

by Fanfictional_lullaby



Category: GOT7
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27973433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanfictional_lullaby/pseuds/Fanfictional_lullaby
Summary: The first key was always the most important. It decided what song his heart decided to play. Today, his song whispered promises of perfect love. An unforgettable and everlasting romance.Jaebeom plays the piano to lure in dinner. Until one day someone ends up playing his piano to lure him in instead.
Relationships: Im Jaebum | JB/Original Female Character(s), Im Jaebum | JB/Reader
Kudos: 5





	Music of my Heart

Shrouded in darkness, in an old forest up north stood an old mansion. It was a remnant of the past, its walls withered and the windows shattered and boarded up. It's foundation crumbled beneath its weight. Much too grand and much too imposing for any one person to live in. Its history long forgotten, perished with its original owner.

None dared enter the property. Rumours of lost souls and children eating monsters deterred anyone from coming closer. Those who did go beyond the dark gates would disappear without a trace. Lost to whatever hid inside. The villagers nearby had their tales and myths.

Little did they know. At least one of those stories was true. The mansion had one inhabitant. It had for decades. Im Jaebeom was a man that rarely went outside. The hassle of dealing with mere humans was something he left far behind him. Throughout the years it became tedious. He stopped confronting humans because they would ruin his peace and quiet.

To eat, he would do what he did every night. He’d lace his fingers together. Stretching his arms out until he heard that unpleasant but familiar crack. Leaving him with a sense of satisfaction before he sat down behind his piano.

The first key was always the most important. It decided what song his heart decided to play. Today, his song whispered promises of perfect love. An unforgettable and everlasting romance. The sound travelled through the forest where the animals scattered. The music, reaching into the little village nearby. Promises of kindness and gentleness. Calling upon a lonely soul that needed it.

He’d play with care and precision. Pressing each key with practised skill. A skill that had taken time. But if there was anything he had, it was that.

A slender hand pushed against the heavy hardwood door and it opened with a creak. A frail figure wandered over to him. Unknowing and he knew if they had been awake, unwilling.

Like a gentleman, he always finished the song. He wouldn’t stop in the middle. He couldn't. Music was that important to him. It was the world. Throughout the years, many things had failed him, but music never did. It was there like an old friend or a loyal lover. It was there when he was lonely and when his dead heart felt like aching over losses survived. Because nothing lived longer than a vampire.

He lifted his head, his eyes watching her with fascination. Her auburn hair neatly braided as it lay over her shoulder. She was wearing a soft pink cocktail dress that reached her knees. Her bare arms littered with goosebumps.

He stood up, towering over her. She couldn’t have been older than 18. He tipped her chin up with his index finger, leaning in to peer into her eyes. He could tell they'd originally been bright blue but dulled from his pull on her. Making them as grey as the oncoming storm. “What a shame,” he muttered to himself.

He reached down. His arm wrapped around her back, the other slipped under her knees. She was a husk, a soulless puppet. Rigid and unmoving. Yet, once he touched her, pliable enough to carry her to the couch. He was still a gentleman that always tried to make a lady comfortable. It was a kindness they would never know of.

He never killed any of his victims, never drank more than he needed. They would be none the wiser. He wasn’t one to cause trouble and his listeners would always find their way home. He brushed her bangs aside to take another look at her face. ”I’ve never met you before,” he smiled, “you must be new.”

His ice-cold fingers traced from her chin down to her throat. Had she been conscious she might’ve screamed. Vampires weren’t known for their warmth. He drew closer, her scent reminded him of the flowers he used to be able to see in broad daylight a long time ago. The familiar smell of honey bringing him back to warmer days.

Her slender and fair-skinned neck so fragile and innocent he felt a slight excitement. Like opening a brand new bottle of expensive whiskey. Not that he drank alcohol. There wasn’t much point to it but he remembered the heated sensation sliding down his throat. A comforting feeling. He licked his teeth, nuzzling her neck. Nipping at the untouched skin. His fangs sank into her pink flesh. A trail of blood trickled down her skin, his tongue lapping up the spill before it could reach her dress.

He threw his head back, gasping for air that would never enter his lungs. Surprise lit up his eyes, “a virgin.” He chuckled, sweeping his tongue across the wound he'd created. Virgin’s blood was richer. Like the purity they’d kept had congealed in their bloodstream. Creating a quality any regular woman could only dream of. His arm circled her waist. Tightening his grip to pull her even closer. He drank to his heart’s content. Something he hadn’t done in a long time. So far he’d always had the same women. Rarely did he let a man in, their blood always had a bitter aftertaste. Women had a sweetness no man could ever come by.

He sighed against the girl’s skin. Relishing the heat radiating from her body. He didn’t remember a time where he enjoyed his meal. “I don’t suppose you’ve got something interesting to talk about?” he scoffed. Her eyes stared at him blankly. “I figured,” he said. “Go on, your family might notice you’re gone. If you have one.” The last comment sounded spiteful. He knew it did but it was something that happened without his consent. There were some things he still yearned for. Even after all these years. Without a sound, she left for the door and disappeared back to where she came from.

Full, yet unsatisfied. His eyelids grew heavier and he dragged himself to bed. Unlike stories told, he actually owned one. The days of coffins were over. For him anyway. He fell into his bed with little grace, curling up in the warm blankets. They wouldn’t do a damn thing for him but habits were hard to break.

It was in the middle of the day when the sound of his piano intruded his dreamless sleep. His body sat up straight, adjusting to the unwelcome hour. His brain told him to storm in. To kill whoever was violating his piano but instead, he drifted, floated toward the living room. Never had a melody taken him. His hand hovered above the door handle. The sound, much too tempting to disturb whoever was playing.

He finally pushed the door open. Standing in front of the instrument. Assessing the woman sitting behind it. For human standards, she was attractive. For him, she was nothing more than a meat suit. Though the music she played displayed parts of her soul she probably didn’t mean to share.

She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a long black coat that reached her thighs. A blue scarf was safely wrapped around her neck. Her nose was slightly red. Her hands were delicate as they played the keys. Her eyes shut, lost in an improvised song.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, breaking through the melodious trance. Her eyes shot open and her hand unceremoniously slammed on a set of random keys. Jaebeom flinched. If there was anything he hated, it was a mistreated piano.

“Wh-What are you doing here?” she mirrored the question. The darkness in his brown eyes held her captive. It was like something she’d never seen before. Two moles right above his left eye caught her attention. His fair skin soft against the light shining through the cracks of the boarded windows. His clothes were simple with just a pair of ripped jeans and a loose black dress shirt. She realised how strange the question may have sounded. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed.

He would’ve laughed, had he not been so tired. He’d been there for almost a century, never had anyone wandered in to play on his piano. “I live here,” he replied, “you’re trespassing.”

“B-But they said this place was empty,” she sputtered. She clamped her hands together, her eyes darting around nervously.

He groaned, facepalming at her obliviousness. The pout on her face only getting on his nerves. “They lied,” he snapped, “get out.”

“I-I’m sorry,” she said, “I don’t have anywhere to go so I thought-”

“You thought wrong.” Jaebeom had little patience left. All he wanted was to go back to sleep.

“C-Can’t I stay for a little?” she asked.

He sighed, “no. Get out.”

She bit her lower lip, her steps towards the door uneasy. He hated it when they were about to cry. This is why it was better for them to be asleep in his presence. She put her hand on the door handle when he stopped her. How he could feel guilty after all these years of being alone was a mystery to him.

“Play me a song,” he said.

She turned around to look at him, a slight smile on her face. Without a word, she returned to the piano and started playing. Her fingers danced across the keys. A dance she looked to have danced a million times before. The expression on her face calming as her eyes drifted shut again. A sense of peace relaxed her entire body. A peace he was all too familiar with.

He loved music but he hadn’t thought he’d enjoy listening to someone else play. Then again, it hadn’t occurred for so long. For a moment his loneliness melted away. A warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time, settled in the heart that had stopped beating centuries ago.

Once she hit the final note her hands pulled back and she folded them in her lap, “so Uhm.”

“You may stay. For now,” he announced more than said. “Stay away from the locked rooms.”

He turned on his heel to return to his bedroom. Even if it were a trap, he was long past caring about such things. He’d lived long enough. If that woman was brave enough to cut off his head, so be it. Though from the music in her heart he could tell there was more than what he’d just seen.

She tilted her head, staring at his disappearing figure. He was going to let a stranger stay in his house. Weirdo.

She started wandering through the house, looking for a kitchen. The man had to eat after all. Though what she found was less than pleasant. The counters were black. Not because that was their natural colour. But because it had a thick layer of dark mould covering the surface. Pots and pans lay scattered, surrounded by broken dishes coated in grime.

The moulds climbed up the walls, finding their way to the ceiling like vines. Cobwebs in the corners made her blink. She noticed the big fat eight-legged creature lowering itself. Her jaw went slack and she stumbled backwards, falling on her ass. A high pitched shriek escaped her and the house’s owner was quick to come to her rescue.

“What are you-” he paused, staring at her pale face. Her eyes fixed on the corner.

“What-” he didn’t finish his sentence. He offered her a hand and she grabbed it. Thrusting him forward and hiding behind his back.

“S-S-”

“S?” he repeated.

“Spider,” she screamed loud enough to deafen him. He flinched, his hands aching to cover his ears. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the black locks in agitation. He spun around to look at her, staring at her in disbelief, “that’s what you’re screaming bloody murder about?”

Her eyes widened. “B-But,” she stuttered. Gripping the cloth of his shirt so tight he knew she wouldn’t let it be.

“That room, it’s not-” he started.

“Inhabitable?” she yelped with widened eyes.

“It won’t eat you,” he said slightly amused.

“But-”

“Let him be, if you’re hungry, go to the village. This is not the place to go to for food.”

“But-”

“Don’t worry,” he said, “I’ll let you back in.”

She pouted as he led her back to the living room. Her smaller hand settled in his. Warmth. He hadn’t touched a hand that willingly stayed with him for a long time.

Her eyes drew to their hands. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since someone held her hand like that. Like she was important. His skin was clammy and cold but not unpleasant. He was bigger than her, seemed stronger than the men she’d known before. His shoulders were wide and dependable.

His rough exterior scared her but from the way he’d stormed in she could tell there was more to him.

“I’ll show you to your room,” he mumbled, “I’ll check for spiders. Your superhuman screech does nothing for me.”

She flushed, looking away from him, “t-thanks.”

The bedroom he brought her to was suspiciously clean compared to the kitchen. It was a rather simple room. The curtains were drawn. No doubt hiding away the ugly boards. The walls painted a dark navy blue. Though chipped in several areas. A wooden bed stood against the wall in the middle of the room. Across from the bed, a fireplace. One that looked like it had never been lit. She stared at her host. “Is this your room?”

“This is my house. Every room is my room.”

“Where will you be?” she asked, her arm came up to hold the other closer to her body. Even though the room was cosy, there was something lonely and ominous that hung in the air.

He smiled without bothering to reply and left. She undid her coat and her scarf. Throwing them on a chair next to the bed. The mattress dipped as she sat down. She shivered, crawling under the blankets to warm herself. Her head sank into the pillows and the faint smell of roses lingered all around her. It was as if he’d been there recently. He seemed like the type of man that would bathe in flowers.

“Every room is your room,” she chuckled out loud, “smartass.”

Jaebeom had returned to his bedroom. After he closed the door behind him he stumbled back. Sliding down the door dramatically. He held his head in his hands. What was he thinking? He rarely fed off someone that was conscious. Especially in his own house. Uncomfortable didn’t even describe it. He couldn’t even remember the last time he'd done so. Plus, now that she was here he couldn’t call anyone over. He groaned to himself, rubbing his temples.

One day.

After that, he’d send her away. He stood up, falling back into his bed. “I’m too old for this,” he muttered, closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, his guest had fallen asleep. After waking she realised how stupid that really was. It was the middle of the day. She stood up, opening the door to peek around it. It didn’t look like her host was out and about.

She wandered back downstairs, investigating the manor for its secrets. The place was much too big for one person. After spending quite a while wandering around she returned to the piano. The instrument had been used extensively. But it sounded like it had been loved and taken care of properly. She sat down, though unsure of whether she could start playing. She didn’t want to piss off the owner of the house more than she imagined she already had.

“You are allowed to play it, you know,” his voice woke her from her thoughts.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” she said, staring at the keys.

“Just make it a good song and I won’t mind.”

She grinned, “I always try to make it a good one at least.”

Hesitantly she started playing and Jaebeom sat down on the couch. He closed his eyes and leaned back. Enjoying the gentle sounds of a heart that wasn’t his own. After a while, she stopped.

“Hey, what should I call you.”

“My name is Jaebeom if that’s what you’re asking,” he replied, not bothering to open his eyes.

“Right, it’s nice to meet you Jaebeom, I’m-”

He cut her off before she could finish her sentence, “I don’t care about your name. I won’t remember it anyway.”

Her head turned to look at him. Their eyes locked onto each other but the way he looked at her made her anger fade. Why did he look sad saying that?

Not that it mattered. He was letting her stay. That was enough for her.

“Alright,” she said, “call me whatever you like.” Her hands returned to the piano. She started playing a song she’d written herself. A song that told about her past and how she no longer had a home to go back to. It was something important to her and his eyes opened after she’d hit the final note. He’d heard many songs in his life but he’d never heard a song so lonely. It intrigued him. He usually thought his songs to be the loneliest. To find a soul lonelier than he, was new.

“Teach me that song,” he ordered.

She scoffed, “not if you say it like that.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, realising his manners had rusted over throughout the years. Especially when it came to people that were awake. “Will you please teach me?”

She giggled at his sudden meek demeanour. “Of course,” she patted the space beside her, “as payment for my stay. I’ll teach you this song.”

His eyes lit up. He hadn’t learned a new song in ages. So he settled in next to her and she started teaching him.

Though he told himself that he’d make her leave after a day. That day never came. Soon enough a day turned into a week. After listening to her play the piano night after night. He didn’t have the heart to ever bring the subject of her leaving up again.

Not just that, she taught him songs he never even heard of. Both happy and sad ones alike. Music was his world and she had expanded it beyond the walls of the manor.

He started dreading the day he’d have to see her go. Which was impressive. He didn't easily attach himself to anything living. But after playing music alone for so long...

He enjoyed the look on her face when she listened to him play. And he had a feeling she felt the same.

She never truly understood his rhythm. He slept during the day and lived during the night. Something she blamed, on him being the creative type. They always could be a bit different from normal human beings.

She attempted to follow the same pattern but failed now and then. Today happened to be one of those days.

She wandered through the halls. Her hands sliding across the dusty furniture. Some of the doors were still locked. The one that caught her attention was this particular one at the end of the hall. When she listened closely she could hear muffled cries. She’d seen him disappear in there. Thinking she didn’t see him but she always did.

Her hand went for the door handle.

“What are you doing here?” Jaebeom’s low voice made her blood curdle.

“W-What do you have in there?” she asked, turning around to look at him.

He chuckled, crossing his arms to look at her. Over time he’d found she was a curious girl. Always poking around his business. So far she’d found the library that was close to falling apart. The overgrown garden, even though he had barricaded the back door. Several bedrooms he hadn’t seen in years and even some rooms he didn't know of. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

She narrowed her eyes, still attempting to open the door behind her back.

“You know I can see you,” he snorted. As annoying as she could be. He did find her adorable.

“Worth a try?” she smirked. He took a step towards her and she retreated, “fine, but this isn’t over.” Fleeing to her bedroom, she waited until he went back to his room. It was about bedtime for him.

She’d been hearing sounds from that room for a while now and she was suspicious of him. Perhaps he had a dungeon full of people. He seemed like the type of person that would have such a thing. During her wait, she’d fallen asleep herself.

Jaebeom sighed, perhaps it was time for her to see. Knowing she was going to discover what was inside regardless of what he wanted. He was too weak to care. He’d gone through any blood reserves he kept for a rainy day.

It was midday when she peeked around the corner to see if he was wandering the halls. She giggled to herself, tiptoeing her way to the room. Her heartbeat pounding so hard she was afraid he’d hear her. Unbeknownst to her, he did.

To her surprise, the door opened with ease. She pushed against it, ready for any traps. Surely, he was going to kill her now that she’d found out his-

Her eyes widened and her shaking legs collapsed to the floor. “W-What.”

The light of the sun shone through the window. It must’ve been the only open window in the whole house. The only window that let in the light of day. On the bed lay, 6 cats. All curled up in tiny balls. On the floor, 7 more huddled together. The room was filled with cat poles and toys. On one side, a row of baskets and the other had little bowls of food and water.

“There, now you know,” he laughed, leaning against the wall looking inside. The cats turned their heads at the sound of his voice. A few of them wandered over to him to climb up his pants.

“C-Cats,” she said exasperatedly.

He cradled a fluffy black cat in his arms, “so they are. Aren’t they beautiful?”

He ran his fingers through her fur and she purred in delight, “back inside guys.” He dropped each cat by the door, one by one. “I’ll see you later.”

“I thought you were keeping a dungeon or something,” she laughed. He helped her stand by offering his hand and pulling her up. Shrugging nonchalantly he said, “the dungeon is downstairs.”

The blood drained from her face and he couldn’t help but start laughing. “Of course not. Dungeons are outdated. I’m going to sleep now if that’s alright with you?”

She nodded and he left her behind bewildered. He laughed all the way to his room. He hadn’t laughed like that in a long time.

He crashed to his bed, his mind wandering off into space. He’d gone without blood for much too long now. She needed to leave. But he didn’t want her to leave. Perhaps it was time for him to fade away. It was safer that way. He could leave the house to her. Not that he truly owned it. She could do what she liked with it though. She could care for the cats.

He couldn’t send her away. He loved her company. Enjoyed her and her laughter. The way she could make him laugh. Those were things he hadn’t had for decades and here she was.

It had been a few days since then and she suspected she upset him. He hadn't come to play for her anymore. He hadn't even come out of his room. So she wandered over to the room she'd seen him go in last.

She knocked on his door, peeking her head inside, “Jaebeom, are you alright? You’ve not come out for a while now.”

It was pitch black and she could only just make out his shape in bed.

“Whatever you do. Don't come into my room. No matter what,” he warned, “please, if you value your life, leave.” He was close to begging her. He’d never forgive himself if he hurt her.

She went quiet. Not knowing what to say. “No.” With that, she closed the door.

He slept much more now. He hadn’t the strength to do a thing. At night he could hear her play the sad melodies coming from her heart. He knew she was lonely. So was he.

He held his face in his hands. His cheeks had sunken in, he knew his body was withering away. He shivered uncontrollably. He was cold, which was unnatural.

A soft knock on his door alerted him. His whole body seemed to wake, his fingers clawing at the mattress. Shit.

The high pitched creak of the door made all the bells in his head go off. “Leave,” he snapped. Every inch of him desperate for a sip. Just a little. Before he’d lose himself in a complete frenzy.

“No.”

He wanted to cry. His whole body ached, burned, suffered. Sweat poured down the sides of his head. He squeezed his eyes shut.

“Please.”

“You're dying,” she said. Slowly and carefully she closed in on him. He could hear the beating of her heart. Out of control. He knew if his own still worked it would be in his throat. “Please.” He begged her but it was too late.

His body leapt forward. He didn’t even see her, his instinct just went for the first blood source he could find. The loud clang of metal echoed through the room.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, “looks like you don’t have a dungeon but you do have a shed with a shovel.”

With a lot of effort, she dragged him to the bed. She tore up his bed sheets with little grace, tying him to the bedpost. Knowing he was more dangerous than most animals she’d dealt with within the forest.

Jaebeom was aware there was nothing. Just darkness. The calming sound of her voice floating inside his mind like he was adrift at sea. A pleasant sensation as he attempted to form the words she was trying to tell him.

“There’s this story in the village,” she said, “about a man that lives in the manor hidden deep in the forest. He plays the most beautiful music at night.”

His eyes shot open.

“Like a siren, he calls for an audience."

"I could always hear the music. Yet it never called for me.” The sadness in her voice made him feel guilty but he didn’t precisely control who came to him. “So I decided to call for you instead.”

“You came here to die,” he growled, baring his fangs. Struggling to escape.

“I came here for you.”

He tore at the posts, yet his energy level let him do very little. He was glad he wasn’t capable of ripping her throat out. As much as his body would’ve liked him to.

"I already knew you were a vampire," she said, "didn’t you think I'd notice?"

"You're never out in the light and you don’t even eat or drink.”

"I didn't want to believe it at first but I've seen you drink those packs they usually keep in blood banks."

“And even though you look quite fashionable for a man living in the woods…” she trailed off. “I’m sorry, I’m a little…” She couldn’t lose him. The man that had taken her in. The one that had cured her of her loneliness.

“Isn’t that the reason why you wouldn’t let me give you my name? Because I’m only human?” she cried out.

“Human lives are so short, they-” he said. Seeing the tears sliding down her cheeks made his eyes burn.

“I know," she replied solemnly.

"Then why-" he whimpered.

Her hands trembled as they rested on his chest, "Jaebeom. Drink, okay? And then we'll talk."

He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut. "No, I don't want your blood."

"That's too bad," he could hear the knife cutting through her flesh. It grated on his mind. That familiar metallic smell. She held her wrist in front of him and without his permission, his fangs sank into the flesh of her wrist. He drank her blood and as much as he hated it. It was the sweetest, fullest and most euphoric taste he’d ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

“Because I love you,” she whispered weakly. Her body slumped forward and silence returned to the room.

After a few minutes, he regained consciousness. He ripped the pieces of fabric away with ease now. Her body lay limp against his. The warmth of her body had left him. She was now as cold as him. Her skin was much too pale.

“No,” he begged her. He held her shoulders, slightly shaking her, “please wake up.”

She fluttered her eyes, a lazy smile on her lips, “Jae, hmm. I’m tired-”

He leaned in, his forehead resting against hers, “you scared me.”

She tried to laugh but it came out as if it was the last sound she’d ever make. “Says the person that-” she let out a shaky breath, “bit me.”

His voice shook, “I’m sorry. You never listen to me. I told you-”

“I’m sorry too,” she murmured, “I’m sleepy now. Can I go to sleep?”

“No, you can’t.” He picked her up in his arms, carrying her to the piano. Her body was lifeless against his own.

“Y-You want me to play. Now?” she asked incredulously.

“I still owe you a few songs,” he said.

“Hey Jae,” tears ran down her cheeks.

“Yeah.”

“I really like being with you,” she sniffled.

“Yeah?” he asked, swallowing his tears. He didn’t even remember the last time he cried. Especially over a woman.

“Can’t I stay with you forever?”

“If you’d like,” he said, attempting to smile.

“Please?”

He hummed, leaning her head against his shoulder, “don’t fall asleep now.”

“Hmhm.” She never was one to listen to what he asked of her and he wasn’t one to force his loneliness upon another. So he did the best thing he could think of.

He played the music in his heart.

A song that said goodbye.

_ The first key was always the most important. His promise of perfect love. An unforgettable and everlasting romance. The music echoed throughout the dilapidated mansion. Promises of kindness and gentleness. Comforting her soul that needed it. Guiding her to a place he could never go to. Out in the light, where she belonged. _


End file.
